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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24927073">Finally meeting you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkeyescoffee/pseuds/hawkeyescoffee'>hawkeyescoffee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Horned Wolves, Sunset Dragons and Red Lions [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Heart-to-Heart, Past Elia Martell/Rhaegar Targaryen, Women In Power, anti rheagar, past Lyanna Stark/ Rhaegar Targaryen - Freeform, they both deserve better</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:21:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24927073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkeyescoffee/pseuds/hawkeyescoffee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lyanna does as the new Queen Regent wanted and stayed to talk.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elia Martell &amp; Lyanna Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Horned Wolves, Sunset Dragons and Red Lions [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1803970</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Finally meeting you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Here we are!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lyanna had no idea how to feel about the Queen Regents request.</p><p>Obvious she could not just decline, even if being alone with the wife of the father of her bastard was not something she would enjoy much she reckoned.</p><p>But after everything that had happened after Harenhall: What was she going to do? Say no? At least she had no interest in killing Jon or her. At least that was what she was saying.</p><p>Still, she could not help the spark of anxiety that rolled thru her as her brothers, Lady Catelyn, Lord Arryn and Stannis left the room.</p><p>Stannis.</p><p>Her heart still throbbed in a ridiculous speed, as she remembered his words just now. He still wanted to marry her. He did not hate her.</p><p>Maybe it was pity.</p><p>Maybe he was a way better and loayal friend than she ever deserved.</p><p>She remembered how he had held Jon in his arms and had still talked to her so easily, even though she had publicly humiliated for all the realm to see. Benjen on the other hand violently swung between pity and release that made her face her shame. Ned was the worst though: He could not even look at her anymore.</p><p>She wanted to feel bad when she learned how is first borne was named after Robert and how their relationship was tense now. She had made him choose between her and his best friend.</p><p>(There was old bitterness bubbling up. He loved him more than her and their brothers… He always had)</p><p>She did learn what Robert had done for her, but it only filled her with more resentment. She had told him that she didn’t want him on multiple occasions. And still he thought what? That he would safe her from her kidnapper like a maiden from a song and she would fall in love with him? Even if she had not gone by choice, she was convinced she wouldn’t have changed her mind.</p><p>It always felt like he thought himself intitled to her love.</p><p>It sat wrong with her.</p><p>The hall was empty now and Lyanna forced herself to look at the Queen.</p><p>Elia Martell was beautiful in a way she herself had never been. Small and delicate, but the way she could command a room and the way passion could burn in her eyes truly made her stunning.</p><p>It had felt so validating when Rhaegar had chosen her over this beauty, his stunning princes.</p><p>It had been the most selfish and cruel moment of her life, but she could not bring herself to regret it. His attention had been so hypnotic and captivating. It just had felt so right.</p><p>The Queen studied her, an unreadable expression clouding her eyes. When she had looked at Jon, ultimately, she had been soft, even motherly. Something Lyanna envied. In another life, if she had married Robert, she could have never been so gracious, so good. Even to a babe.</p><p>“Did you love him?”</p><p>Lyanna inhaled sharply. Elia was no woman to beat around the bush. She could appreciate that, if her wounds were not so fresh. Physically and emotionally. But it had no use to deny the truth-</p><p>“Yes, or at least I thought I was.”</p><p>Elia nodded gravely.</p><p>There was little judgment. Definitely not how Lyanna would have guessed such a conversation to go. She was the other woman in this situation after all. When she had taken his hand, she had tried to twist this fact to her liking. Trying to convince herself that he did not love his wife, that she would give him a chance of true love, that she was different.</p><p>There was an exhausted laugh bubbling out of the Queen throat as she twisted a lock of raven black hair between her fingers. “He was really good at that.”, she murmured to no one in particular, as if she wasn’t in an empty room with another woman. “Making people love him.”</p><p>“I thought that I loved him too, or at least I wanted to love him.” There was a strange sense of vulnerability in the way she said it, like a confession to a Septon. Lyanna suppressed a shudder. She left like she was not allowed to know those things, but Elia told her all the same.</p><p>“It’s not even only you and me. He likes to ignore people because what he is doing is so important and he believes that. But when you have his attention than you don’t have to share it. It is such a potent way of making people feel special and loved.”</p><p>She sounded bitter.</p><p>“He had both of us wrapped around his finger and Jon Connington and even Arthur.”</p><p>When she saw the unspoken Question in Lyannas eyes, she chuckled again.</p><p>“Jon was very obvious in his attachment to my husband and in his displeasure in me. Maybe up here people like to ignore that some man doesn’t want any women but in Dorne people have a more relaxed attitude towards sexuality. He acted like a jealous maiden at times. Arthur on the other hand.”</p><p>Her voice grew heavy and sad at the mention of her country man.</p><p>“he truly believed that there was goodness in the man, that he was trying to save the world. He is loyal to a fault after all, but since he died our relationship is not the same anymore…”</p><p>“Why are you telling me all of this?”, Lyanna blurted out. She didn’t want to seem so cold and rude, but she would rather forget the things that happened than discuss them with the Queen. Also, she itched to look after Jon, not that she didn’t trust her new good sister, but Robert was still here with her boy- “I don’t want to be ungrateful.”, she clarified out loud, “But how does this make anything better? Fine, so I’m not the only dumb goose that fell in love with him, but I still did it willingly and you out of all people-“</p><p>“I wanted to hate you, you know?”, Elia ignored her. “I was laying awake and night or I was looking at my son and I wanted to hate you because he could not wait for me- It was always about what he thought to be needing and never about my suffering.</p><p>But this is not your fault, at lest it is less yours than his. He just not here anymore to answer for his crimes and we do live in a world were men are allowed everything while denying girls and woman the same.</p><p>I just- I guess I wanted to let you know that I understand.</p><p>I hate it, but I understand.”</p><p>She took a breath and smiled at Lyanna.</p><p>We are just the one’s who have to live with the aftermath. I won’t take your son and I meant it when I say there would be a place for you in King’s Landing. You are the mother of my children’s brother after all…”</p><p>Elia left after that and Lyanna was left alone in breathtaking silence.</p><p>She wanted to cry again, cry until it was all better, but that was not how it worked.</p>
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